Karen Kilgarin

Karen Kilgarin
Member of the Nebraska Legislature from the 7th district
In office
January 7, 1981 – May 1, 1984
Preceded byPatrick Venditte
Succeeded byTim Hall
Personal details
Born (1957-03-12) March 12, 1957
Omaha, Nebraska
PartyDemocratic
EducationKearney State College
OccupationJournalist, lobbyist

Karen Kilgarin (born March 12, 1957) is a Democratic politician, journalist, and lobbyist from Nebraska who served as a member of the Nebraska Legislature from the 7th district from 1981 to 1984.

Early life

Kilgarin was born in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1957, and graduated from Omaha South High School.[1] She attended Kearney State College, graduating with her bachelor's degree in political science and journalism in 1979.[2] After graduation, she worked as a real estate agent.[3]

Nebraska Legislature

In 1980, Kilgarin challenged State Senator Patrick Venditte for re-election in the South Omaha-based 7th district.[3][4] Venditte placed first in the primary election, winning 50 percent to Kilgarin's 40 percent and perennial candidate Jake McCourt's 10 percent.[5] Kilgarin defeated Venditte in the general election, winning 55 percent to his 45 percent, and became the youngest member of the legislature.[6]

Post-legislative career

Kilgarin initially ran for a second term in the legislature in 1984,[7] but later announced that she would resign from the legislature and end her re-election campaign to become KETV's Lincoln bureau chief.[8] She resigned from the legislature on May 1, 1984.[9]

In 1992, Governor Ben Nelson appointed Kilgarin as his deputy chief of staff and director of public affairs.[2] She left the Nelson administration in 1995 to become the director of communications and publications for the Nebraska State Education Association, and rejoined the administration in 1997 as Director of the Department of Administrative Services.[10] Upon the election of Mike Johanns as Governor in 1998, Kilgarin left the department,[11] and rejoined the State Education Association as the director of public affairs and communications.[12]

References

  1. ↑ Nebraska Blue Book 1982-1983 (PDF). Nebraska Legislative Council. 1983. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  2. 1 2 "Nelson Hires Karen Kilgarin". Omaha World-Herald. February 1, 1992. p. 16. Retrieved April 8, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 "Karen Kilgarin To Run in 7th". Omaha World-Herald. March 14, 1980. p. 6. Retrieved April 8, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ Kelly, Michael (April 22, 1980). "Venditte to Face Two Challengers in 7th Legislative District". Omaha World-Herald. p. 4. Retrieved April 8, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ Beermann, Allen J. (1980). Official Report of the Nebraska State Canvassing Board, Primary Election, May 13, 1980, General Election, November 4, 1980 (PDF). Nebraska Secretary of State. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  6. ↑ Kelly, Michael (November 5, 1980). "Kilgarin's Tenacity Pays Off". Omaha World-Herald. p. 37. Retrieved April 8, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ Barrette, John (March 2, 1984). "3 State Senators Aren't Running". Omaha World-Herald. p. 40. Retrieved April 8, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Sen. Kilgarin to become TV reporter". Lincoln Journal. March 20, 1984. p. 9. Retrieved April 8, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ O'Donnell, Patrick J., ed. (1984). Legislative Journal of the State of Nebraska: Eighty-Eighth Legislature, Second Session (PDF). Vol. 1. p. 4. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  10. ↑ Hord, Bill (October 14, 1997). "Nelson Names Karen Kilgarin To State Post". Omaha World-Herald. p. 9. Retrieved April 8, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ Reed, Leslie (November 18, 1998). "Johanns Axes 18 Directors". Omaha World-Herald. p. 1. Retrieved April 8, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ Giboney, Sara (April 8, 2016). "Kearney State alumna Karen Kilgarin to lecture at political science event". UNK News. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
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